Brad Vs. The Volcano

We went on a canopy tour on Mombacho, the massive volcano that looms over Granada.  It's responsible for the 365 islands on Lake Nicaragua.  Thanks Mombacho.  

This is the road we took to get there.  It will pulverize your kidney stones.  I know I look like an R-tard with that helmet on, no need to tell me.  

Farewell, solid ground.

This is how high up we were.  The ground is probably another photo down.  No problem.

Hi mom.  I'm your son.

There were monkies there.  

The last tree we repelled down was 307 years old.  

butterflies and tigers

I volunteered in a school that was about 15 min drive down a dirt road outside of the city center. There were three rooms, three teachers, no running water, and no bathroom. We did face painting for all the young children, which became lots of tigers, butterflies and a few pirates. The day ended with a piñata we brought full of candy! Amazing!

Max(another dutch friend) and me at horse parade

Cotton Candy Man at the Horse Parade

little girl on the island

Islands!

Tonight

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Yucca Dippin

There are people in the world whose job is to dip thousands of yuccas in molten paraffin wax for export.  You might buy one of these some day.  

It smelled like flaming crayons.  

I don't know why the font is different, I can't seem to fix it.

Killa Beez

Yesterday there was a man dressed like a beekeeper hacking at a rooftop with an axe in the town square.  A fire truck awaited and pedestrians looked on.  Even with the explanation that the man was destroying a killer bee nest, it was odd.  Spectacles are unavoidable here.  I cannot wait to not have to deal with iMovie anymore.  It's like trying to cut hair with play-doh scissors.  It's like trying to drive on the freeway with a Powerwheels car.  

We have no documentation of the killer bee drama,but it was kinda like this.

Today we woke up with seven Managuans occupying our house for the night.  They partied till 3 and woke up at 9 and partied some more.  Amanda and I went into town, not looking for anything big, and ended up in the epicenter of a horse festival/parade.  Nicaraguans dressed up like cowboys rode...less sad-looking horses, prancing down the street in utter disarray.  There were bandstands with massive PA's all pounding different music right next to each other.  A man sold colorful bags of cotton candy.  I've never seen cotton candy here before.  The street was still open to traffic, so cars and bikes zipped between lines of froth-mouthed horses.  It was less like a parade and more like a traffic jam.  In Nicaragua, you'll find something strange every day, or it will find you.  

cast free

Thursday we got to go out to the islands with the girls and interview people about the lakes pollution. I managed to hike on the island in a cast, nothing stops me even when it probably should. Today I woke ready for my freedom! Lynn and me headed back to the hospital in Managua. The cab drive was a bit loco but sweet he even managed to wait for us and bring us home safe. That is a lot to ask here! The hospital was once again amazing. I love me doctor! He did scare me some when he cut my cast off with a tool that looked much like what the workers in the field cut yucca with! But when we left he kissed both Lynn and my cheeks. He also said if I come back to visit he will call his single son who is the same age as me ☺ Now Brad and me are getting ready for a night on the town. We are off to hear Ilja play at Imagine. I not only brushed my hair, put on lip-gloss but I am also wearing Brads sock to go under my air cast and for good luck!

Stone Carver/Never Relaxed

This happened last week.  Last week was kinda crappy.  This week is going better.  

I am afraid of everything all the time.  Things go awry on a daily basis here and you always have to watch out for people trying to scam you.  This isn't good for someone like me.  

Hopefully I will be able to relax.  

Today we ate fresh coconut on an island.  Ya know.  

Neighbors on kids day

our new roommate Freek from Amsterdam

Swimming one legged!

long time gone....

I know it has been a long time since we have updated but the honeymoon period is over. It has been a tough week with my cast and Brad's editing but there has been some highlights! I have had some amazing people sign my cast all the kids our classes, the Nicaraguan chess champion, the kids on our street, a flower from Kim, heart from Freek, and flag from Brad. I finished my second book. Got asked on a date at the pizza restaurant after the guy asked if Lynn was my mom and Brad my Dad. Started an English class in our house at 6pm on Wednesday for the kids on our street. First class was tonight and they are so sweet! Perfected my one leg out of the pool float. Have eaten lots of tele pizza because we are to hot to cook and well I can't stand that long, went to Day of los Niño’s on our street and watched a piñata die. Had a Dutch pool party with all of Freeks friends. Finished the Opportunity International project!

Look how cute my hair is from behind and how wet Brad is from behind!!!

happy mothers day

Julio's Amazing Lunch! Rico!

Today is mothers day in Nicaragua. They love their mothers and so do we. Love to all you moms out there. Today Brad and Thalia worked hard on mixing the Oputunity International video, Julio worked hard at making the best lunch ever, Lynn did everything in between, and I worked hard at floating in the pool with one leg in and the cast out. Leg hurts more today and I am knocked out tired. Lots of hobbling to my next place to sleep. So happy with our new casa! I might have a new dog :) Well I guess it is time to remove my bathing suit put on pjs and convince Brad he wants to go on an adventure to find us water but more importantly eskimo ice cream bars, yummy! 9 days left with the cast, 9 days till freedom. Maybe less if I can convince the doctor and believe me I am going to try!!

on the street!

long day

Not broken but I have torn ligaments and with that comes a cast and lots of pain. Plus the pain of trying to get around. But a cane is being carved for me tonight and can be picked up tomorrow at noon. That should help! The hospital adventure was amazing, my doctor was sweet, Lynn was the best fill in mom, translator, secretary and friend ever!! More Nicarguans talked to me today then in the whole week and half before the cast. I guess I am hard to miss as a silly white girl with an even sillier white cast that has a wooden heel on it!!! Watch out ladies I have the next new fashion!

Dios mio.

Tenemos una casa nueva.  

We have a new house.

First of all, there's a pool.  

And a mango tree.

La cocina.  

My bedroom.

View of our yard from my balcony.

Speaking of life's not fair: Our dear Amanda is in the hospital right now with an injured foot.  Let's all hope and pray it isn't broken. 

At least we now have a luxurious house, and a firewire cable.  

The operating hospital in Granada till 1987

Ok so that was yesterday, today was crazy… we found a new place to live, it is amazing as I now type from my new room with wireless, we have a pool! Pictures will come as soon as I can walk. See in the process of moving to this great new space that is down a long not so great dirt road but that is a different story. So it was raining and I had everything own on my back in my arms, wearing flip flops and slipped off the curb twisting the ankle I broke 5 years ago in Italy! So everyone cross your fingers because 2 Italian screws is all I need I would rather just bring back a hammock from Nicaragua!

Had breakfast at the Graden Café. Amazing ice coffee, Amazing food and wireless. I am in love with this place, saw a dead bird fall from the sky and land at my feet, worked on our search for a new casa, met are beginning class of girls which in the end is four boys and one girl ☺ but they are great! Glad the classes are starting!

Yesterday we went out to Thalia's island and lived like the Swiss Family Robinson.  We grilled chicken, attempted to pick mangoes from the trees (fail) and swam in the lake.  Finally got that sunburn I've been waiting on.  A return to the island is in the future.  

Telepizza in Granada offers surprisingly good pizza.  

We're meeting with the beginning class today for the first time.  Mucho gusto.

Tomorrow Amanda and I will move into a new place.  Adios casa de pinturas feas.  

I still don't know how to do the upside down exclamation points and question marks...  anyone know how?

365 Islands in Lake Nicargua!

island!

Took a boat to Thallia’s island that is right she owns her own island! Julio and Brad threw me up in the air in the water. Brad and me swam to different islands. I climbed a tree for mangos with no luck but Julio got some. Grilled tasty treats on the fire. Emerged my body underwater for as long as I could. Was cool for the first time in the is country. Think I might be adjusting to the heat because my feet are no long swollen. Went to the school where our beginning class will be held. Had pizza for dinner and for a minute forgot where I was. Fell asleep hot but happy! Exited work with the kids tomorrow!

Worker in the Yucca Field

Had Sunday morning coffee at our table in our three walled house no new york times but music, lots of music, decided to go on an adventure!, rode a city bus 45 min( sweat so much my dress was soaked), saw a man with two dead chickens hooked to the handle bars of his bike, made it to Masaya, had a lunch in the park with rice, beans, plantains, tortillas, chicken, and smoothies, walked through the old market, bought earrings from the Nicaraguan version of me(young girl with shaved head, sweet!), went to see the carter lake from above(started to get burned out because I was soaking wet in sweat, looking at water not swimming in it, got yelled at by the police for sitting but cold Gatorade cured it all!), bought more soap because my five showers a day, came home to another parade coming down our street with yes you guessed it more fireworks, was asked to be a judge for a photo contest at my favorite hotel, Hotel Con Corazon- best food, cold fanta, internet, drinking my fanta now, swore I would stop drinking because I don’t want my teeth to rot out but it taste so so good!

Masaya pt 1.

Today we went to Masaya.

I don't know why I look so depressed about the fact that my bread is an crocodile.  
This is what some streets look like in Masaya.

...and this is what other streets look like.  

Yesterday we went outside of Granada to film a community trying to build an office for their school.  They had people on horse drawn carts bringing water into their town because their water pump had broken down.  There were people living in noting more than straw huts and tin shacks, but a lot of them did have televisions.  Go figure.  

good luck from the parade!

May 22

Highlights-
Watching yucca being pulled from the ground, having Julio fix the tape of footage the dog ate, my mid day shower, all the portraits of the field workers, eating yucca chips, washing my clothing for the last time in a washer, having the saint Maria parade come down my street, mopping our one room house with the heaviest mop(abs of steal)

Highlights-
Riding in the back of a truck up a dusty mountain, mango- banana- orange smoothie, photographing the yucca chip factory workers, ac in the truck, seeing the island with the two volcano’s, good coffee in the morning, working on images in my bikini with my best friend- my fan, eating rice and beans for all three meals, protein(BUGS) full walk to the lake, ok we broke down for a fancy dinner with Lynn

cosas

Trees are good.

Ice cream is sought after.

So, look, guys, Amanda really loves Fanta.  It's okay.  

This is the dinner Amanda and I made.  Beans and rice with fresh avocados and fried plantains.  We did well for gringos if I say so myself.  I swear that's not Zatarans.  

Most buildings don't need all their walls here.  3 is good.  This kitchen is half outdoors.  Awesome.

Ella Lynn, soy de Vancouver Canada.  She's a good translator and helps my dumb ass along with my tenuous grasp of spanish.  I am thankful.  

This is Julio.  Without him, we'd be crying in the fetal position every time we left the house.  He's our guardian angel.  El hablo espanol solemente.  Santo Julio.


Food is good.
Drinks are good.  

The horses all look horrible here.